One Warrior
by Lady Morning
Summary: A collection of Warriors one-shots. Delicately written, carefully edited, and the full Morningdove14 selection. Read, enjoy, review, and all one at a time! Rated T for safety. This will always be in progress, and always one at a time.
1. Welcome

It always came right when it wasn't wanted.

She sighed as she watched the raindrops splatter to the ground and onto the window pane. Why did the clouds always come at the worst times?

Not when everyone was sick. Not when the teachers shooed their students into the grueling hot sun. Not when track and field practice took extra time. It always came on a Saturday, when a carefully planned picnic was about to take place. Never sooner, never later. Right then.

She flopped down on the couch, her eyes boring into the ceiling. There was nothing to do! Nothing!

She forced herself to her feet and dragged herself to the kitchen, half-heartedly opening the fridge. A bruised apple. Spoiled milk. Too sweet jam.

In short, nothing to eat.

She huffed at the lack of good snacks before plopping herself in the computer chair and starting up the achingly slow device. Finally, it stopped loading, she logged in and saw, to her surprise, a document was already open on the desktop. One that she hadn't written.

_Welcome to One Warrior._

_I recently was admiring my profile, and I was startled by how cluttered and overwhelming my story list was becoming. So, I decided to combine them all, to create an account of sorts._

_One Warrior is a collection of all my Warriors one-shots ever posted - and to be posted._

_So come in. Please. Enter and let yourself be taken. Also your senses to be ensnared and your mind's eye to see and my words to be its guide._

_This is a collection of one-shots, yes, but it's also my story. It's my story in becoming a writer, in adapting my style, in being me on in a place where no one knows me._

_Read. Review. Enjoy._

_Welcome to One Warrior._

She shrugged and kept scrolling down, interest sparking...


	2. Scalding Tears

**Hello my dear readers. This my first oneshot and my first challenge for TreeClan. Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

Ever since they'd fled the Clan, things had only gotten worse.

Oliveflower had only been trying to make a better life for her kit. After MistClan's leader had been murdered, Oliveflower had been far past afraid. So had the rest of her clan as the omens worsened; an outbreak of greencough, a frighteningly large amount of lightning, and sick and fatal prey. The count of dead had only grown as the horrible new leader of MistClan had forced the cats to stay away from the Gathering.

Oliveflower had been weak, too weak when her kits had come. Only two of the four kits had survived the night. Another had been lost a few days later, to weakness, she'd been told. But one of the dictactor's cronies hadn't quite met her eyes when she'd asked about the blood on his paws.

So she'd left two nights later, taking her only kit with her, and sneaking through the gentle patter of rain.

But now, barely a week later, Oliveflower was dying. She tried not to worry Pebblekit, but her daughter was too smart for her own good. Even now her tiny grey eyes pierced right through her into her heart, even as her mother was lost in the vast shadow of memory.

Oliveflower's fur burned with fever, and she was too fiery hot to draw her kit to rest beside her. Her mind wandered randomly, as her exhausted brain tried in vain to keep up.

Their small crackley alcove was silent and chilly, in a place where all the leaf-fall leaves had fallen.

Oliveflower could only be thankful Pebblekit was still alive. Her kit remained unaffected by sickness. She quietly admired her kit, so strong and beautiful, even though her fluffy grey pelt clung to her frame and her eyes carried no emotion. She looked so much like her father…

Oliveflower forced herself to focus, for though she wished she hadn't eaten the bad prey, she knew she had little time. She stretched out her dry, trembling tongue and tried to lick a bit of water from the damp moss next to her head.

"Pebblekit," she mewed, her throbbing throat cracking. "Stay hidden. And safe. I…" she coughed, tasting blood on her tongue, "I love you."

Pebblekit said nothing, as Oliveflower knew she wouldn't. Her little kit was mute, though from trauma or poor development Oliveflower couldn't tell.

Scalding tears dripped from Oliveflower's eyes. Her kit would have no one. She would be alone forever. MistClan had truly fallen…

Her eyes began slipping closed.

And for the first time, Pebblekit spoke.

"Don't worry, Oliveflower," she said softly. "Don't cry. I'll be safe. And MistClan will thrive."

At long last, Oliveflower felt at peace. And the singing stars enveloped her.

**So… Tell me what you think? Do I suck at oneshots, or should I write nothing but? Did I destroy and insult the world of Warriors, or did I help it along?**

**Did I completely mess up and misinterpret the challenge? I hope not, but I'm sorry if I did!**


	3. A Very Wet Valley

**Hello readers! Thank you for your kind reviews on my last oneshot. **

**This is my second oneshot for TreeClan, and I had a hard time writing it. But in the end, it was fun, and here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

It was raining.

It always was, that past moon, soaking the gentle grasses in the valley camp of WillowClan. The tall willow tree in the centre of the camp seemed to sag slightly, as if in agreement to the gloomy weather.

Fewer and fewer patrols went out everyday, the prey pile dwindling as the cats decided they preferred hiding in their dens to eating damp freshkill.

All except the kits, who seemed to delight in the fat drops of rain splashing down. They played around in the puddles until they grew so deep that they had to swim through them.

All except one kit.

This kit's name was Nightkit, and she spent her rainy days either hidden in the nursery, or glaring into the apprentice den at a certain nine and a half moon 'paw.

Her name was Cherrypaw, and she could only meekly peek back at Nightkit through the carefully-woven branches of the cozy apprentice den.

Cherrypaw couldn't understand why Nightkit hated her so much. She was Nightkit's older sister from Tigerblossom's first litter, and she'd always taken care to visit her mother's second litter and teach them some of the training things she'd learned.

Until Nightkit had made it clear that she hated Cherrypaw.

But the angry kit wasn't even two moons old. What could Cherrypaw have done in that time?

She didn't know. And she hated that. But there was no way she was going to apologise to a tiny kit for doing nothing.

Though the glaring was rather unnerving…

"Cherrypaw!" a deep voice called, snapping the apprentice out of her reverie. She poked her head out of the den to see her orange-furred mentor, Suntail.

"Yes?" Cherrypaw replied, narrowing her eyes to slits against the chilly air and cold rain.

"We're going on a hunting patrol with Amberclaw, Shadowhunter, and Greengaze," her mentor told her, naming the clan's deputy and two other warriors.

Cherrypaw sighed inwardly. She knew it was inevitable, but she really didn't want to go out. She'd be soaked for sure.

Suntail must have guessed her thoughts. "The clan needs to eat. And you need to train."

Cherrypaw nodded. She knew the warrior code. "Let's go," she said, trying to be optimistic even though she was already fantasising about a nap.

Suntail lifted his chin, seemingly pleased. "The others are waiting. Come on!"

Cherrypaw followed reluctantly. But as she passed Nightkit, she could have sworn she'd heard the kit purr at her displeasure.

Cherrypaw wearily stumbled back into camp hours later, carrying only a limp mouse.

The prey had all been hiding down in its holes, and it had been by chance that the mouse had peered out of its nest a few tail-lengths from Cherrypaw.

It seemed like it had been only raining harder and harder since the patrol had left at Sunhigh.

Now, an hour or two past sundown, Cherrypaw was shocked when she stepped into camp. It was flooded!

The water was so high that the patrol's bellies were immersed.

Cherrypaw, small for her age, found that the water sloshed into her ears as she walked.

Oakstar, a tall proud tom stepped in front of the patrol at their entrance. "We're leaving the camp," he told the patrol.

Cherrypaw's eyes widened. Leave?

"Just temporarily," Oakstar added. "Just until the rain stops."

Cherrypaw swallowed. Would the rain stop?

"Help the clan out," their leader instructed.

Cherrypaw admired how calm he was. She could barely keep herself from panicking. Where would they go? Would the camp be destroyed? Would life ever be the same?

She saw Suntail lean down out of the corner of her eye.

"Calm down," he said softly. "It's only water. The camp has flooded before."

Cherrypaw perked up. "It has?"

Suntail nodded. "See? Not even worth telling about. Nothing to be worried about."

Cherrypaw relaxed a bit, shivering in the cold water.

Oakstar nodded to the patrol and went on to speak to other cats and help an elder out.

Amberclaw pointed with her chin to the apprentice den. "Shadowhunter, Suntail, Cherrypaw. Go to the apprentice den, and make sure the 'paws are aware. Then help the other cats. And hurry."

Cherrypaw blinked. "Hurry? Why?"

Amberclaw's face was grim. "You just don't know what will happen if you don't."

Cherrypaw stared at the deputy.

"Come," Suntail told her, already making his way through the flooded camp.

Cherrypaw tried to be brave and sloshed after him, Shadowhunter close behind.

The apprentices were indeed aware of the water rising in their soaked den, and were complaining and stumbling out when the three cats arrived. The warriors assigned them jobs, and soon Cherrypaw was busy. So busy, she forgot her fear and it turned to exhaustion.

She lost track of time as she helped cats out and helped salvage the bigger pieces of debris from the dens.

Finally, Oakstar stood partway up the valley and yowled. "All cats of WillowClan, exit the camp now!"

Cherrypaw was eager to leave, and so she raced up the side, rejoining Suntail, and being content to simply walk in the midst of many cats.

She spotted her mother, and two out of her three kits.

Cherrypaw blinked and headed over to her mother, who was talking to another queen.

"Tigerblossom?" she said. "Where's Nightkit?"

Her mother glanced down at her two kits. Her eyes widened. "I-I thought she was here. She was just here! Wasn't she?" her meow was tinged with fear.

"She must still be in the camp!" Cherrypaw meowed. Her tail fell onto the damp ground. "I'll get her." She dreaded the thought of going back into the flood.

Tigerblossom shook her head. "Cherrypaw, I-"

"I'll be right back." Cherrypaw was too tired to argue, and she slipped away, leaving the crowd of clan cats.

She hurried back to camp. Why couldn't Nightkit just behave herself, and leave with everyone else?

At least she couldn't glare at Cherrypaw anymore…

The apprentice came over the edge of the valley, and sure enough, there was Nightkit, perched on a slippery rock in the middle of camp.

Which wasn't too high above the rising water. And had an uneven surface…

With a soft 'plop' that Cherrykit only faintly heard, Nightkit fell into the water. And didn't reappear.

Without a second thought, Cherrypaw plunged into the water. Her legs no longer reached the bottom, so she swam over to where she'd last seen Nightkit. She dove down and found a tiny tail with her mouth. She yanked to the surface and back onto the rock.

Out came a spluttering Nightkit, who clung to the rock with all her strength. Cherrypaw churned her legs in the water, struggling to keep her head above the water. She silently thanked StarClan that she could swim. She carefully watched to make sure that Nightkit didn't fall off the rock.

The kit's eyes were wide with fear. "I'm going to die!" She wailed.

Cherrypaw swallowed, hoping the kit was wrong. "No you're not. Calm down. We'll be fine."

Suddenly, there was a massive CRACK! behind Cherrypaw. She turned in the water to see a tree caught in the water and heading towards the cats at top speed.

Without pausing to think, Cherrypaw grabbed Nightkit's scruff again and dove away from the tree.

She felt the current whish it past her, thanked StarClan it had missed them.

And saw a dim shadow on the side of the valley.

Lightning cracked above, and Cherrypaw's eyes widened as she recognized it for what it was. A beaver.

Only the bravest and strongest warriors took them on, and only in groups.

And Cherrypaw realized something else. Beavers could swim. Much better than flailing apprentices carrying spluttering and coughing kits. And to Cherrypaw's horror, the current was pushing the two cats towards the beaver.

The apprentice struggled, but she wasn't a strong swimmer.

Nightkit coughed more furiously, as if seeing the beaver.

The beaver itself didn't move, only waiting as the cats were pulled closer.

Waiting… and waiting…

Nightkit went limp, stopping her coughing.

And Cherrypaw's paws bumped against shore. She stumbled onto the ground.

The beaver growled at her as the thunder clamored above. Its shackles were raised.

Cherrypaw saw no way around the monstrous creature. She set down Nightkit's limp form beside her. And moved to face the beaver. She knew in her heart she had no chance. She raised a shaking paw, claws unsheathed.

The beaver swiped at the air right in front of her, as if teasing her.

And suddenly, WillowClan warriors lept onto the beaver clawing and biting it.

Cherrypaw could only stare in shock for a moment before the thought finally clicked in. They were saved!

The next few hours passed in a blur. Cherrypaw could hardly believe it. Oakstar had been very impressed at the story Nightkit had told him after a visit to the medicine cat. How the apprentice had saved her and bravely faced the beaver, which had been driven away. Very impressed.

And now, Cherrypaw was Cherry_leaf,_ and was keeping vigil at the temporary camp's entrance! She could hardly believe it!

She sat tall and stiff, unwilling to fail at her first warrior duty. She heard a movement behind her and whirled around.

Nightkit stood there.

"Um… hi…" the kit said awkwardly. "Um…"

Cherryleaf waited, feeling that Nightkit had something important she wanted to say.

"Um, I know you can't talk, but…" Nightkit cleared her throat. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for treating you t how I did, and that maybe I was just jealous. I really want to be an apprentice…" Nightkit trailed off and sat there looking nervous. "And Mother always talked about you. How you're the best apprentice… I just want to be the best. Like you."

Cherryleaf couldn't speak. But she didn't need to. She leaned forward and licked Nightkit gently on her forehead.

And Nightkit purred loudly.

**So…? What did you think? Yes, it was longer than requested, but I felt it needed to be to be good. I need reviews!**


	4. Silver's Perch

**Hello people who are hopefully of Earth! If not, greetings. Welcome to our planet and thank you for choosing my fanfic to read during your stay!**

**Anyways, this is my third challenge for TreeClan! I took a while to write, but in the end I had a lot of fun doing it. Every time I write, I try to focus on one writing skill to work on. This time I chose emotion and voice. Please tell me how I did! That's right folks; please review!**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

Silver perched on the high branch, claws sunk into the soft wood. It was nearly Greenleaf, and the bark was almost completely grown over the green branch. She gazed out over the beautiful forest, silently admiring the hundreds of shades of green. No matter how many times she saw this view, she'd never get tired of it.

Silver caught a flash of brown moving through the trees. Her mother, Willow. Willow's paws thudded heavily on the soft, grassy ground, loud enough that Silver could hear her from her high perch. Her mother was never the most graceful cat in the forest. Though there were so few these days…

"Silver!" Willow called sharply. "What have I told you about sitting on green branches?"

Silver blinked lazily. "Not to?" She cocked her head innocently.

Her mother didn't buy it. "Come down here now."

Silver slowly stood up and stretched, taking her time. She strolled down the length of her branch and picked her way down the tree while Willow waited impatiently at the bottom.

Finally, Silver gracefully lept onto the moss-muffled roots.

"You shouldn't be climbing so high anyways," her mother told her.

Silver's blue eyes met her mother's green ones. "I won't fall."

Willow didn't blink. "We've discussed this before. You might."

"But I probably won't." Silver rolled her eyes and brushed past her mother. She had great balance. Even if her tail was short.

Silver hated her tail. It was half the normal length and the fur on it grew in awkward clumps. Willow told her that it was fine, pretty even, but Silver knew she would have thought differently if she had it. But she and her mother had almost nothing in common. They looked nothing alike. Not only was Silver's grey pelt thinner than her mother's thick brown one, but their faces were shaped differently too. Willow always said that Silver took after her father.

Her mysterious father who her mother refused to talk about…

Silver padded away from her mother, intent on finding a taller tree.

"Wait."

Silver stopped. She turned back to Willow. "I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'll be fine, okay?"

"Silver-"

Silver continued on. "Fine. You win. I won't climb quite as high. There you go. Happy?"

"Silver."

"Is this about my tail? It is, isn't it? You think my balance is off! Well it isn't! It's fine, I-"

"SILVER!"

Silver paused, her jaws still open slightly.

Willow sighed. "Silver, this isn't about tree-climbing. We… we need to talk."

Silver stepped over a few tree roots back to her mother and sat down. "About what?"

Her mother didn't answer.

Silver saw worry in her eyes. "Mom?"

Willow took a deep breath. "Silver, I… I love you very much, but it's time to tell you the truth."

"About my father?" Silver guessed.

Willow nodded. "About your father, and…" she faltered for a moment. "And about your mother. I am not your parent, Silver."

Silver felt numb. The words echoed in her mind. Willow was her mother. She had to be! She had raised Silver, she was the only cat she knew!

Faintly, Silver heard herself ask, "then who are my parents?"

Willow swallowed. "Silver, remember the clan stories I told you? Of cats living in big groups in the great forest?"

Silver nodded. They seemed so long ago. The stories not-her-mother-Willow had told her.

"They're true. The four clans are real."

Silver's mind was whirling. Real clans? Different parents? She'd never even considered the possibility of Willow not being her mother!

Willow sat nervously, obviously waiting. Suddenly, Silver felt a rush of anger. How could Willow lie to her, her entire life? How could Silver have ever trusted her?

But she had to know the truth.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked coldly.

"Your parents are cats are warriors of ThunderClan. Their names are Swiftfoot and Petalfall."

Silver only lifted her chin. She silently memorized the names.

Willow went on. "I was exiled from the clan. I was Willowtail! But they sent me away. I wanted revenge! And… I loved kits. So… I-I took one. You."

Silver's eyes narrowed. "You stole me?"

Willow winced. "I'm sorry! I know it was stupid! And you didn't seemed to mind."

"Didn't seemed to mind?" Siler repeated incredulously. "Didn't seem to mind?!"

"I'm sorry!"

The two cats stood in thick silence for a moment. Silver didn't remember standing up, but she didn't care. She didn't care about anything. Except getting away from Willow.

"Which way?" Silver said finally.

Willow blinked. "Which-?"

"Way. To the clans!"

Willow's eyes widened. "You can't leave me!"

"It's either you tell me or I'll find them myself!"

Willow stared at her, her eyes filled with pain. Finally, she pointed a direction through the trees with her tail. "There. Silver-"

Silver silenced her with a glare. "Goodbye." She left in the indicated direction.

She was a clan cat. And she would find her home.

Far above, the cats of StarClan watched the troubled cat and gently guided her. Only they knew that one day the cries of ThunderClan would ring through the forest, stronger than ever.

"Silverstar! Silverstar!"

**Thank you for reading! Again, kindly tell me how I did with emotion. Thanks!**


	5. A Walk in Pain

**Hello world!**

**This is my first challenge for the forum NightClan! Three more until I become a warrior!**

**Follow the link to arrive at NightClan. Great forum! **

**Link: forum/Nightclan/136859/**

**Now, join Hawkflight in her home in ThistleClan.**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

Hawkflight had been for a walk that morning.

She was glad too, that she'd had the chance. It had been so nice out... And her mate, Frostclaw had gone with her.

He hadn't wanted her to go, but Hawkflight had insisted. "The kits aren't even here yet," she said. "There's no point for me to just sit in the nursery all day. I have legs."

That all seemed so long ago. Now ThistleClan's medicine cat, Petalblossom lent over her as her body twitched. Hawkflight bit back a yowl as pain exploded through her body. She could only be thankful she'd managed to make it back to camp before the worst of her kitting had come.

Frostclaw hovered nervously in the entrance to the nursery. "Can't you do anything else?" he asked Petalblossom anxiously.

Petalblossom shook her head. "Don't worry, Frostclaw. Why don't you run and fetch her some water-soaked moss?"

Frostclaw bobbed his head up and down and fled, his fluffed-out white tail vanishing after him.

Hawkflight sighed exhaustedly, in between spurts of pain. "How much longer?"

"Not too long." Petalblossom didn't quite meet Hawkflight's eyes.

Hawkflight frowned as another contraction came. A tiny squeak made it between her clenched jaws. "Petalblossom," she asked when she had regained her breath, "is something wrong?"

Petalblossom hesitated. "There's one kit to come..."

"And?"

Petalblossom stared directly into Hawkflight's white eyes, flinching slightly. "It's not doing too well."

Hawkflight only stared back. "What-?"

Another wave of pain came, this one the worst by far. This time she couldn't stop a full-out yowl from escaping her throat.

Frostclaw dashed back into the nursery, a giant wad of dripping moss in between his jaws. He dropped it beside Hawkflight's head. "Hawkflight?" he asked nervously.

Hawkflight didn't reply, still panting for breath.

Petalblossom felt Hawkflight's belly. "The kit's coming!"

Frostclaw's eyes widened. "Now?" he squeaked, clearly terrified.

"Why don't you wait outside?" Petalblossom said to the tom gently. Frostclaw only shook his head, eyes wide.

Hawkflight yowled louder than ever, and felt something move inside her belly.

"Very good," Petalblossom soothed. "One more time. Once more and you'll be done."

Frostclaw seemed to be holding his breath.

Hawkflight yowled at the pain and heard a soft plop near her. She saw Petalblossom bend down and heard a soft licking.

"That's it," the medicine cat said between laps. "You're done, Hawkflight. You have a she-kit!"

Hawkflight relaxed as the pain slowly faded. "Frostclaw." She breathed her mate's name quietly and drank a bit of water from the moss he had brought for her. "Frostclaw, we have a kit!"

Frostclaw's whiskers twitched with silent joy, and he began to purr loudly.

"Frostclaw, what does she look like?"

Her mate padded further into the den and rubbed his cheek against hers. "She's beautiful. She has mottled black and white fur. Her black fur's the same shade as yours!"

Hawkflight furrowed her brow. "Black doesn't come in different shades."

Frostclaw purred again. "Oh? Well yours is the most perfect shade, as is our kit's."

Hawkflight purred too, though tiredly. "What should we name her?"

"You decide."

Hawkflight didn't speak for a while, going through store of names she'd thought up while waiting the long moons for the arrival of her kit. "How her about Snowkit?" she said finally.

"Perfect." Her mate's eyes warmed hers as she waited in anticipation to see her kit.

Petalblossom slowly stood up at the other end of the nursery. Hawkflight was instantly reminded of her earlier warning about the kit. But Snowkit was fine. She had a name now. She was beautiful.

Hawkflight lifted her head slightly, sure she would see Snowkit softly swinging from Petalblossom's jaws. But the medicine cat was carrying nothing. Hawkflight suddenly felt cold.

"Petalblossom?"

The ThistleClan medicine cat bowed her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. Snowkit is dead."

Hawkflight felt like she was falling. Dimly, she saw Frostclaw's head shoot up. "What? How?" he shouted. His voice sounded faded to Hawkflight's ears. She let her head drop to the ground.

Petalblossom looked up, and her eyes were filled with understanding. "She was born dead. There was nothing I could do."

Frostclaw's tail lashed angrily. "Just go."

Petalblossom only nodded before leaving the nursery.

Hawkflight said nothing, though inside, she was wailing. She stumbled to her feet, and somehow made it to the tiny, limp body.

Her mate said something, but Hawkflight's brain seemed to be working slowly, and she didn't bother to decipher the disconnected words she managed to hear.

She buried her muzzle in the soft fur. Hawkflight breathed in her daughter's scent. "I'm so sorry Snowkit," she said softly, her voice hoarse. "This is all my fault. If I had been more careful... if I hadn't gone on that walk..."

She sat there for a few moments. She took a deep breath.

Hawkflight stood up, surprised to find her legs working beneath her. She brushed past Frostclaw and left the nursery.

She would never return there.

**So... your opinion please? I'd really appreciate it if you'd review!**

**Also, please feel free to join my forum, LightClan! If you're interested, follow the link and enter the thread "Please Come In!" to get started! **

**Link: forum/LightClan/136719/**


	6. Flaming Blossoms

**Hello great world. Vast world. Small percentage of world reading my one shot.**

**This is my second challenge for NightClan. It's a romance.**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

Briarblossom slowly stood up, freezing as a cat breathed in sharply.

But nothing happened.

She carefully crept around the sleeping warriors, ducking her head so her fur didn't brush against the low roof of the willow branch den.

She couldn't stop a small sigh of relief as she stepped out into the cold night air. Briarblossom glanced around the BlazeClan camp, thankful it was empty. She snuck out the secret tunnel behind the nursery, glad she'd found this exit moons ago, when she'd first started sneaking out.

The she-cat took one last look around her. No matter how many times she'd done it, she still hated leaving camp like this.

But no cat had ever caught her, and no cat ever would.

Briarblossom relaxed now that she was out of camp and trotted cheerily to the RainClan border. She slowed when she came to a beautiful old oak cats rarely went to because little prey lived there. An owl lived a couple trees over.

Briarblossom sat down and waited, her anxiety slowly growing. Was he coming? Had something happened to him? Had he been caught?

Suddenly, the scent of a RainClan cat flooded over her and she purred.

"You made it!" she meowed.

"Of course," the blue-eyed tom said, twining his black tail with her gray one. "Where else would I be?"

Briarblossom purred louder and rubbed against the RainClan warrior. "Oh, I don't know, Blacktail... sleeping?"

The tom purred back and pressed against her. "I love you, Briarblossom."

Briarblossom rubbed her cheek against his. "I love you too."

In the shadows, another cat watched. His name was Flamefur, and the Clan expected him to be Briarblossom's mate.

He wanted to be that more than anything else. But Briarblossom kept ignoring him and avoiding him.

That night Flamefur hadn't been able to sleep. He'd been thinking about Briarblossom and admiring her perfect gray fur. So he'd watched as she stood up. As she'd looked around the den, he'd instinctively closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, listening to her slow, quiet pawsteps as she'd left the den.

Flamefur had followed her, hiding behind every tree and bush as he stayed close behind her all the way to the RainClan border.

He'd forced himself to wait as she did, his heart racing as he longed to both race back and talk to her. but he'd waited.

Now Flamefur's heart burned as he watched her. He felt bile rise in his throat as he'd seen the tom twine tails with her, rub against her.

Flamefur should have been there. He should have been the one she loved.

He backed away slowly, and heard a branch crack under his foot. Briarblossom stared in his direction.

Her eyes squinted. "Flamefur?"

Flamefur stumbled away and ran, ran as fast as he could, not caring about the noise he was making. If Briarblossom didn't love him, then he'd tell the whole Clan. He'd tell everyone about the tom she was seeing. He'd tell everyone what she had done.

To his surprise, he heard her giving chase behind him.

"Flamefur!" she cried. "Flamefur!"

Flamefur didn't stop. Briarblossom would only try to convince him not to tell anyone. She didn't care about him.

No one did.

Too determined to reach camp, he crossed the river where it was closest, at the fattest part. He took a flying leap and splashed out of the shallow edge of the river. Flamefur glanced behind him to see Briarblossom take a leap at the same part. He stopped. Her jump was too short!

He hesitated and she fell in the river, the current already sweeping her away.

"Flamefur! Flamefur! Help!" she cried before her head went underwater.

She did not reappear.

Flamefur took a step forward. Then he turned away.

He would not save Briarblossom. She did not deserve to be saved.

When he returned to the den, he felt something break inside of him.

No one loved him. And Flamefur loved none.

**Well, I feel like I'm rubbish at romance. Review if you'd like, I won't force you.**

**But I do have a lonely box of oreos waiting to be eaten. I don't really want to eat them by myself, but if I have to...**


	7. Starlit Shadows

**Hello my dear readers. This my first oneshot and my first challenge for TreeClan. Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

Ever since they'd fled the clan, things had only gotten worse.

Oliveflower had only been trying to make a better life for her kit. After MistClan's leader had been murdered, Oliveflower had been far past afraid. So had the rest of her clan as the omens worsened; an outbreak of greencough, a frighteningly large amount of lightning, and sick and fatal prey. The count of dead had only grown as the horrible new leader of MistClan had forced the cats to stay away from the Gathering.

Oliveflower had been weak, too weak when her kits had come. Only two of the four kits had survived the night. Another had been lost a few days later, to weakness, she'd been told. But one of the dictactor's cronies hadn't quite met her eyes when she'd asked about the blood on his paws.

So she'd left two nights later, taking her only kit with her, and sneaking through the gentle patter of rain.

But now, barely a week later, Oliveflower was dying. She tried not to worry Pebblekit, but her daughter was too smart for her own good. Even now her tiny grey eyes pierced right through her into her heart, even as her mother was lost in the vast shadow of memory.

Oliveflower's fur burned with fever, and she was too fiery hot to draw her kit to rest beside her. Her mind wandered randomly, as her exhausted brain tried in vain to keep up.

Their small crackley alcove was silent and chilly, in a place where all the leaf-fall leaves had fallen.

Oliveflower could only be thankful Pebblekit was still alive. Her kit remained unaffected by sickness. She quietly admired her kit, so strong and beautiful, even though her fluffy grey pelt clung to her frame and her eyes carried no emotion. She looked so much like her father…

Oliveflower forced herself to focus, for though she wished she hadn't eaten the bad prey, she knew she had little time. She stretched out her dry, trembling tongue and tried to lick a bit of water from the damp moss next to her head.

"Pebblekit," she mewed, her throbbing throat cracking. "Stay hidden. And safe. I…" she coughed, tasting blood on her tongue, "I love you."

Pebblekit said nothing, as Oliveflower knew she wouldn't. Her little kit was mute, though from trauma or poor development Oliveflower couldn't tell.

Scalding tears dripped from Oliveflower's eyes. Her kit would have no one. She would be alone forever. MistClan had truly fallen…

Her eyes began slipping closed.

And for the first time, Pebblekit spoke.

"Don't worry, Oliveflower," she said softly. "Don't cry. I'll be safe. And MistClan will thrive."

At long last, Oliveflower felt at peace. And the singing stars enveloped her.

**So… Tell me what you think? Do I suck at oneshots, or should I write nothing but? Did I destroy and insult the world of Warriors, or did I help it along?**

**Did I completely mess up and misinterpret the challenge? I hope not, but I'm sorry if I did!**


	8. Shadow

**Shadow**

**In LightClan, my Warriors forum, we now have a prompt thread. Every week a prompt is given that must be written into a one shot of at least one thousand words. I, the admin, will also be doing as many of these prompts as I can.**

**This week's prompt was one word. Shadow.**

**Now, here is my one thousand word story based on that word.**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and never will be, one of the Erins. I do not have a second secret name where the initials are "EH". Sadly, I do not own Warriors, and probably never will.**

**...**

Shadows crept across the ground as a cloud prowled over the sun. The formerly bright clearing darkened and a chilly breeze stole through the sun warmed air.

The young cat shrank against a thorny branch, wincing as the leaves crackled around her fur. She crouched low to the ground. Her tail quivered.

Suddenly, a cat brushed by the bush, and the she-cat held her breath, waiting for them to pass. Would they find her? The black-furred cat stopped suddenly, tasting the air.

Had he scented her? The hiding cat knew that her scent was well masked, but this cat was very familiar with her smell. Would he find her? She tensed, ready to run.

But to her relief, the cat moved on.

Wiggling her haunches, she leapt out of the bush, intent on attacking the tom. But her tail was caught in the bush. The tom whipped around and watched her struggle. He purred.

"Thornkit!" the she-cat wailed to her littermate. "Help me!"

Thornkit just sat there. "You tried to attack me!"

Cocking her head, Creamkit waited. She knew her brother wasn't actually mad at her. "Well? Are you going to help me?"

Thornkit walked around her to her tail. His whiskers twitched at her predicament. "I knew you were there, you know."

"Oh really?" Creamkit rolled her eyes. She tried to pull out her tail again, but the thorns dug in more.

A tall queen with a black and gray speckled pelt and brown eyes that the whole Clan said were identical to Creamkit's padded over. "Are you two fighting?"

"No, Poppyleaf," Thornkit said.

"Says the one who doesn't have their tail stuck in a thorn bush!" Creamkit retorted.

Poppyleaf sighed and nudged Thornkit aside. She sniffed at Creamkit's tail. "How did this happen?" their mother asked.

"She was trying to hide in the bush to attack me," Thornkit told her. "But I saw her."

"You did not!" Creamkit said indignantly. "And my tail hurts!"

Poppyleaf peered at the thorns around her tail. "Looks like thorns still caught you after all."

Crossly, Creamkit tried to pull her tail out again.

"Don't do that!" her mother said. "It only makes it worse." She pulled at a branch with her teeth. "And didn't I tell you to stay away from the thorn bushes around camp? It only makes it worse."

Creamkit saw the RunningClan medicine cat, Marshstem, coming over. "What's going on?" he asked in his deep meow.

Glancing at him over her shoulder, Poppyleaf spoke to him while she continued with her work. "Creamkit got her tail stuck in the thorns. I told them to stay away from the bushes, but they never listen."

Marshstem's eyes twinkled. "Kits will be kits. Wait one minute, and I'll get a poultice to make her tail slippery so she can pull it out."

"Thank you," Poppyleaf said, still untangling branches.

Looking a bit worried, Thornkit hovered behind his mother. "Will she be okay?" he asked uncertainly.

Poppyleaf nodded. "Of course," she soothed. Her meow turned sharp. "If neither of you ever hide in these bushes again."

Creamkit huffed. "Why would we? We won't."

"That's what you said last time."

"Well, I mean it now!"

Across the clearing, Marshstem reappeared at the entrance to his den, carrying something in his jaws. He hurried back to them, setting the leaf package down. "Let me," he told Poppyleaf. The queen stepped back.

Marshstem nudged the package open with his nose, revealing a slimy-looking poultice. He carefully scooped some in his paw. Creamkit drew back and wrinkled her nose at the horrible smell.

"Ew!"

Marshstem's whiskers twitched. "Would you rather be stuck in there? Hold still."

Creamkit did so, wincing as Marshstem smeared the cold chewed-up herbs on her tail. They stung as they touched the wounds, but Creamkit kept still as she'd been asked.

She couldn't help but let out a soft sigh at the soothing feeling as the poultice soaked into her injuries. Then, she felt Marshstem pull on her tail slightly, and she was free!

"Thank you!" Poppyleaf said to Marshstem. "I'm sorry about the trouble."

"No problem!" Marshstem assured her. "It's my job." He set to work pulling the thorns from Creamkit's tail while her mother scolded her.

"Never, ever, ever do that again!"

Creamkit rolled her eyes. "I already said I wouldn't. Besides I'm fine now."

"I hope so," her mother muttered darkly.

His eyes wide, Thornkit suddenly looked uncertain. "I thought you said she would be."

"And she will," Marshstem said. He stood up. "That's all done. Just try not to move your tail too much, Creamkit." He padded back to his den.

Poppyleaf gave each kit a fierce lick on the head. "Come back to the nursery now, both of you. You need some rest."

Ignoring her kits' protests, Poppyleaf nudged the two back to the nursery. Once she sat down, Creamkit found she was too exhausted to complain and quickly fell asleep.

**...**

Creamkit was floating. She felt herself gently swaying, a gentle breeze softly pushing against her. Limp, she dimly heard Thornkit's high-pitched meow saying something. Irritation pricked her pelt. Couldn't he ever shut up? She opened her eyes and jaws to tell him to shut up, then woke up completely.

She was swinging in someone's jaws, dangling just above the rocky ground. Thornkit was somewhere behind her.

"Where are we going?" Thornkit asked.

Creamkit squirmed. "Where are we?"

The jaws put her down. "Finally, you're awake," a deep, familiar voice meowed.

Creamkit whirled around. "Marshstem?"

None of the earlier warmth lit his eyes. "Keep walking," he said, ice edging his meow.

Thornkit came up beside her. He pressed his black pelt against her cream-coloured one. "He won't tell me anything!" he told her.

"Keep walking," the RunningClan medicine cat ordered.

Creamkit walked close beside her brother, still blinking sleep out of her eyes. "What happened? Where are we? Where's Poppyleaf?"

Her brother looked at her worriedly. "I woke up in the middle of the night. Poppyleaf was gone, and Marshstem was feeding you little black seeds. I asked him what he was doing, but he just told me to follow him silently and picked you up.

"We snuck through the camp. I was so scared, and you were still asleep. And we left the camp. We went through the woods. It was so dark, and I couldn't see anything. And Marshstem wouldn't talk to me. He just kept walking! And then we left the forest, and came here. It's so rocky, and hard, and my paws are bleeding, and Marshstem won't stop, and you were so still... I thought you might be... might be dead."

"Well, I'm not," Creamkit glanced back at Marshstem and swallowed nervously. "What are we going to do?" she whispered to Thornkit.

It was Marshstem who answered. "Nothing. You're going to come with me."

"But where are we going?" Thornkit wailed. "I'm tired!"

Creamkit pressed against his brother, wishing she could give him strength.

"To MistClan," Marshstem said.

Creamkit gasped. "MistClan? But we're RunningClan! And you're our medicine cat!"

"Not anymore," Marshstem told her. "My name is not Marshstem. It never was. It is, and always has been, Shadowfang."

Thornkit shook his head. "It can't be!"

"It is." Marshstem paused. "Once before, I was brave Shadowfang, one of the top warriors of MistClan. But your dear mother," the words were twisted with hate, "fell in love with me. She convinced me to come to RunningClan. But didn't at first. I hid in the shadows, while she had kits. Then I posed as Marshstem, the weak rogue who knew a lot about herbs. In the night I killed the old medicine cat. She was defenseless. No one suspected me, and two dawns later, I was the medicine cat. It was the only way I would be allowed to stay in RunningClan. Poppyleaf talked me into it.

"But now I see how weak she is. Why didn't see switch Clans, if she loved me so much? So I took you, for you are my kits. You are MistClan. You belong with me."

Shadowfang fell silent, and Creamkit looked at her brother in horror. She didn't dare say anything for a while. Finally, she asked, "What about Poppyleaf? Where is she now?"

"She's dead," Shadowfang meowed delightedly. "I killed her myself."

Thornkit let out a whimper. Creamkit's throat was dry, she couldn't say anything, but she stared at her brother. He stumbled over a rock sticking out of the ground, and Creamkit helped him stay on his feet.

She dared to peek at Shadowfang over her shoulder, hardly believing that he could be their father, then gazed at her brother. They would have to stick close over the next moons and seasons. It was going to be hard.

Somehow she knew there would be no going back to RunningClan.

Determinedly, she lifted her head as she walked on the bumpy ground. Creamkit would be strong. She would help her brother as they descended into shadow.

Someday, together, they would find their way back to the light.

**...**

**There you go! What do you think?**

**I decided to use the world from my current multi-chapter story, Silver Linings. I didn't mean to, but the story naturally evolved into this. It's a lot easier than thinking up a new universe every time I write a one shot!**

**Please review, it only takes a couple minutes. I spent two hours writing this!**


	9. Agony Among the Reeds

_**Hello!**_

_**I was sitting here peacefully with a feeling of great accomplishment, when suddenly I realized that a challenge for my forum, LightClan, is due tomorrow.**_

_**I write this in half panic mode. Luckily, it's fun to write! Please enjoy and review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, however awesome it is!**_

_She sat up sharply. No! It couldn't be! She couldn't have to! _

_But there was no other option. He would have to die._

_Glad the decision was made, the she-cat trotted from her den. Her white fur shone in the midday sun. She picked a scrap of moss out of it and looked her pelt over, making certain she was clean._

_Whiskertail admired her pelt and hoped the killing wouldn't mess up her perfect fur._

_A tom trotted out of the den behind her and scanned the camp. "Swampstar." She purred, rubbing against him. "It's a beautiful day." Her mate didn't answer, still checking the camp._

_She knew that the warriors were always talking about how he was paranoid, almost to the point of insanity. They were right, but Whiskertail had always been insulted by how they talked about her mate, the magnificent leader of MarshClan, the strongest Clan of the three. Today she wondered if it would be a weakness. Maybe it would unbalance him enough..._

_"It is vaguely nice." Swampstar's meow startled her from her thoughts._

_"Vaguely?" Whiskertail pushed against him laughingly._

_Swampstar glanced at her. "Maybe." Other cats commented how Swampstar seemed to have no feelings. But Whiskertail could always see that small glimmer. The distant spark of joy in his eyes. The faintest twitch of his tail betrayed his playfulness. The slight twitch of his claws was his longing to spring into battle against all his enemies without the tiniest ounce of fear. Whiskertail could read her mate like he could claw a kit._

_Claw a kit..._

_A faint movement in her heavy belly reminded her of the previous night's conversation. _

_The patrols had come in, and Whiskertail had been watching the deputy organize the night patrols. Swampstar was ordering five a night these days. He said it was only a matter of time before SunClan attacked._

_Whiskertail had been glad to not be picked for any of the patrols. Perhaps the Clan had finally begun to notice how Whiskertail's belly had swelled, and how she couldn't keep up with patrols anymore. Swampstar certainly hadn't. He seemed so blind some days. _

_As the stars twinkled brightly above, Whiskertail had planned to break it to Swampstar that very night. He'd make such a good father, she was sure of it. His quiet enthusiasm and the way he was always seeking to protect... their kits would look up to him, and admire him just as he would them._

_Swampstar was already lying in the nest when she came. She sat beside him, pressing her pelt to his._

_"Swampstar," she said, so excited she could barely contain her enthusiasm to talk, "I have something to tell you."_

_He looked her over. "What?" Only the smallest twitch of his pelt revealed his wariness._

_Whiskertail nudged him. "Relax, you!" She paused. "I'm expecting kits!"_

_Swampstar froze. Completely. Was that... horror deep in his eyes? "K-kits?"_

_"I know!" Whiskertail said, deciding he was just shocked. "Aren't you excited?"_

_Swampstar laughed and relaxed. "Stop your sarcasm."_

_"Sarcasm?" Whiskertail furrowed her brow. "What-?"_

_Swampstar interrupted her. "Don't worry."_

_Whiskertail let her face relax. So he was just worried about her._

_"We'll get rid of them soon. It won't be too hard."_

_Had she heard him right? Get rid of them? Whiskertail sat up. "What do you mean?"_

_Swampstar sat up beside her and licked a paw, running it over his ear. "It won't be too hard. You'll just triple your patrols a day. If you work hard enough, you'll lose the kits!"_

_Whiskertail blinked. This was going all wrong. "Lose the kits? But... but doesn't MarshClan need kits?" She shouldn't have had to ask that. _

_Swampstar shook his head. "The last thing we need is extra mouths to feed, and one less cat to patrol. Did you see how Brightstar acted last Gathering?" Brightstar was the leader of SunClan, and Swampstar was conviced they were archenemies. "She'll storm MarshClan any day now."_

_The white-furred she-cat didn't answer. _

_The leader paused. "Don't tell me you actually want kits?" He looked dangerous for a moment, looming over her and waiting for an answer._

_Whiskertail flinched. "Of course not!" The lie bit her tongue like acid. "Why... why would I?" She forced it out, hoping Swampstar would buy it._

_He licked her ear. "Thank goodness. We'll send you out leading a patrol of all the borders tomorrow."_

_Whiskertail nodded, already feeling exhausted._

Convinced the issue was solved, Swampstar had curled up. Whiskertail had too, thoughts whirling far too quickly for her to fall asleep.

Now here, in the morning, everything was clearer. Her kits would not die. They would live and thrive. Swampstar would be the one to go. Then she could move to the nursery.

The day passed by all too slowly, as Whiskertail went on patrol after patrol and worried about what was to come that evening. Could she really kill her mate? The one cat she loved?

_No,_ she told herself on a quick hunting patrol. _You love your kits._

As if they could read her mind, she felt the kits squirming again and winced as one kicked her, before catching up to the rest of the patrol. They needed her. Swampstar had changed. He didn't.

Finally, evening came. Whiskertail was exhausted. Could she really defeat Swampstar now, while carrying kits after four different patrols?

Yes. Yes she could. She had to.

She watched as Swampstar chose a couple fat frogs to eat from the freshkill pile. She could never understand why he liked the disgusting creatures so much. Too nervous to eat, she went to wait in their den. Thank StarClan he was the leader and she could kill him in privacy.

He was the leader... What would MarshClan do without their leader? He led them well... Maybe Whiskertail could just pretend to work hard and keep the kits.

No, Swampstar might just kill them once they were born. She couldn't afford to take that risk.

So she waited, sitting in the nest. Moons seemed to pass while she waited. Finally, Swampstar padded into the den, pushing through the bramble barrier they had just outside their den. A faint glimmer of happiness appeared in his eyes at the sight of her.

"Have I told you how pretty you are?" Swampstar meowed, purring.

Whiskertail didn't purr back. "I don't care. I don't care anymore. I don't care about you."

The leader of MarshClan stopped. "What?"

Her throat felt dry. Whiskertail swallowed. "I want kits."

Sitting down, Swampstar sighed. "We discussed this. You can't-"

"I can." Whiskertail raised her head defiantly. "And I will."

The black-furred tom narrowed his eyes. He hated cats defying him. "You won't."

Whiskertail stood up. "You won't let me. But my kits will live... if you're not there to stop them."

A growl rose from Swampstar's throat. "I knew you'd turn against me! Everyone always does! What are you going to do, traitor? Kill me?" He laughed.

Whiskertail didn't need any more. Swampstar obviously couldn't see sense. She sprang at him. Adrenaline pounded through her veins.

But she'd underestimated him.

He darted under her while she leapt. She landed, and stumbled, not expecting to land on the ground. He raced around her, nipping at her foreleg as he passed. She tried to face him, but he pushed her over. He set a claw on her throat.

Whiskertail struggled, but he sat on her and kept her pinned to the ground.

"You were never much of a fighter." Swampstar said. "That was one reason I chose you to be my mate. I knew I could take you easily."

Whiskertail stared at him. "I loved you once. We were perfect together. Everyone said..."

"Then everyone was wrong. Did you really think I loved you?"

Whiskertail blinked slowly. "I knew you did," she said softly.

Swampstar lashed his tail, for once letting his fury show. "I did not! And I don't! Goodbye!"

Without warning, he slashed into her throat with his claws. Pain blinded her and made her whole body tremble. She closed her eyes as she gurgled.

She had failed. He didn't love her. Her kits would never be saved...

She felt her body go still and herself rising. She dared to open her eyes a crack. Swampstar and the den was gone. Instead she saw three small starry forms. Instinctively, she knew they were her kits.

_Two she-kits and a tom, _a voice whispered in her mind. _You would have been proud..._

Whiskertail couldn't take her eyes off of them. They were so beautiful! They stared back at her, seeming so wise for such a young age.

"Poppykit," she whispered, naming a kit for her mother. "Honeykit." Though honey could hardly compare to the beautiful kit she saw. "And Reedkit." She named the last for the reeds that surrounded her home. She'd loved watching them sway in the wind.

Other starry cats stepped up around her kits. StarClan.

She tried to run to them, but she couldn't move. Suddenly, Whiskertail began moving, zooming away, faster and faster. Far from her kits.

She landed on hard ground and stumbled. She took in her surroundings.

Tall twisted trees stretched up as far as the eye could see, blocking the sky. Bumpy roots stuck up all over the place, causing the ground to be uneven. The whole forest stretched on as far as the eye could see and was shrouded in shadow. Not another cat was in sight. The Dark Forest. A place Whiskertail had only heard of in legends.

She wailed. Why was she here? Did she really deserve this? She took off running, sprinting through the trees, tripping and stumbling over roots.

Poppykit. Honeykit. Reedkit. They were safe in StarClan. Whiskertail was not. She would never see them again.

Then she thought of something. Swampstar. He would die someday. He was evil. He'd killed her, and so many others in the endless battles of MarshClan.

Before, she'd excused it as simply wanting the best for his Clan. More territory, less threats from the other Clans as they learned to fear the name of MarshClan. But now, Whiskertail saw it in its full light. Swampstar was evil. He'd end up in the Dark Forest.

And when he, Whiskertail would be ready for him. She started battle-training on a tree, clawing its bark to bits.

She'd have her revenge.

**Well, there you go!**

**It wasn't too rushed, and I think I did pretty good in the small timeframe I had.**

**This was from the roleplay world of my forum, LightClan. Thanks to the other members for always writing and keeping it exciting! **

**If you're interested in our amazing forum, currently on the second page of Warriors forum, follow this link! Here: ** forum/LightClan/136719/

**Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	10. She Was Your Mate!

**Hey all!**

**I failed at writing a weekly challenge for LightClan. Even though I'm already overdue, I've decided to write this anyway. It's fun, and I'll feel horrible otherwise.**

**This short story is not technically for that anymore. This is now something I really wanted to write and did.**

**This one-shot focuses on Swampstar - who you may know from my ****_Agony_****_Among the Reeds _****- and the true fall of MarshClan. This is a sequel to that short story. Enjoy!**

**The prompt for this was ****_rage_****.**

**Disclaimer: I am not a cat. Neither am I Erin Hunter.**

* * *

**She Was Your Mate!**

Swampstar trotted back into camp after a border patrol. The sun was slowly setting, and there was something he was supposed to remember. His tail twitched slightly. Whiskertail would tell him. She was always better at remembering stuff than he was.

He passed by the old leaders' den. He insisted on constructing a new one after his rule had commenced. There was something bad about the old one... But that had been a while ago.

He nodded to various members of the Clan. The deputy, Storm-something, was already organizing the patrols for tomorrow. The grey cat dipped his head in his leader's direction. Swampstar gave a small nod in return.

_He's getting far too good. I'll have to end him soon._

Deciding not to let that decision bother him right away, Swampstar stopped for a moment and made a small nick on his front right paw. The symbol to murder the deputy. That was something he never had Whiskertail remember for him.

He continued on and gazed around the MarshClan camp one more time before ducking into the newest MarshClan den.

Whiskertail was waiting. She looked up at his entrance and purred.

Swampstar sat down beside her. "What am I forgetting?"

"To say that you love me." Whiskertail leaned against him and the leader closed his eyes.

He purred back. "I love you."

They were quiet for a moment, enjoying their comfort. Finally Whiskertail spoke.

"Warrior ceremony tomorrow," she said. "Their names are Stormpaw, Ashpaw, and Bloodpaw."

Swampstar opened his eyes. "Stormpaw? I thought the deputy's name was Storm... um... something."

Whiskertail rolled her eyes. "Two deputies ago, it was Stormwhisker. Stormpaw was named after him. Your deputy right now is Oakclaw."

Swampstar nodded. "Oakclaw. Did I name him?"

"Yes." Whiskertail rubbed her cheek against his fur. "Are you trying to remember this stuff?"

Her mate shrugged. "Mostly." His whiskers twitched in concealed laughter. "What would I do without you?"

"Pick warrior names?"

Swampstar nodded slowly. "You already have them picked out, don't you?"

Whiskertail laughed. "Yes, of course! Did you think that I'd actually let you do it for once?"

"Well?"

Whiskertail looked straight into his eyes. "You need to remember these. Stormclaw, Ashfall, and Bloodflower."

"Two toms and a she-cat?"

"Yes."

Swampstar decided Ashfall would be the next deputy. He liked the name. "And how long has Stormwhisker been deputy?"

Whiskertail sighed. "Are you even listening?" She paused. "Stormwhisker was deputy for three moons, Vinestream for five, and Oakclaw for one."

_One moon._ Swampstar held back a grimace. _He's already too good._

Whiskertail yawned and curled up against him. He stretched around her, already remembering Oakclaw's fighting style.

"Stormclaw, Ashfall, and Bloodfur?"

"Bloodflower."

Swampstar dozed off, the name stuck in his mind.

He had no idea that, in time, all three of the to-be warriors would die, two murdered by him.

* * *

**SEVENTEEN MOONS LATER**

Swampstar hated when cats tried to kill him. It really irked him.

And then the Clan was confused when he insisted on leaving the bodies to rot.

"I told you," he said to the gathered cats once again, "no one really liked her anyway."

MarshClan stared up at him on his rocky perch. He liked that; forcing them to always gaze up at him. And he, their leader, being able to stare down at them.

"Everyone liked her!" a grey warrior said loudly. _What was his name again? _"She was your mate!"

Swampstar blinked slowly, coldly, keeping his anger contained.

_You don't want your warriors to fear you, _Whiskertail had said. _You want them to follow you._

The leader shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Why was he listening to Whiskertail's advice? Look where it had led her.

Swampstar took a step forward, leaning off the edge of Highrock. "That's not what I said." He stared at the warrior until he looked away. "Listen to what I say. It's in the warrior code." He hoped it was.

The warrior still wouldn't meet his eyes. Swampstar narrowed his eyes. He didn't like this weakness.

"What's your name?"

The grey warrior finally looked up again. "Pardon?"

"Your name!" Swampstar let his tail lash.

"S-Stormclaw, sir. You gave me my name." The warrior appeared confused.

So Swampstar had given him his name. And Whiskertail had probably chosen it. He leaped down from highrock. "Do you often stutter?"

Stormclaw swallowed. "No. Sorry."

Swampstar cocked his head, studying the warrior's frame. He wasn't in a battle position. Big mistake.

The leader lunged for his throat. Whiskertail was dead. He had no one to impress.

Stormclaw just watched him, his eyes wide. He didn't even try to defend himself. Swampstar's teeth sunk into his throat and blood gushed out. He watched the stutter-y warrior die.

The Clan didn't move, seemingly shocked. A red-furred queen pushed her way forwards, but didn't say anything, watching the blood flow.

Swampstar pointed a wet claw at a ginger she-cat. "Who are you?"

The queen's eyes were narrowed with hatred at the limp body and she didn't look up from her glaring. "Sharpthorn. I'm your deputy."

Swampstar sat back. "Oh." _She's already deputy? I guess she can keep it for now._ "Well? What are you waiting for? Do stuff!"

The Clan slowly dispersed around him, muttering and whispering. No one met his eyes.

Swampstar watched them go. This was the Clan he had. And he was their leader.

He had just become what Whiskertail would have hated.

A tyrant.

* * *

**Well? What do you think?**

**I was trying out a different style here, so please let me know if it was confusing or poorly done. I'd really like some ideas on how to improve!**

**I actually wrote both parts at once, switching between the two frequently. I actually didn't originally know who the grey tom was until I wrote more of the first part. I started with the second.**

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed this!**


	11. Light in His Dark

**Hey all! **

**This is my first challenge for LeafClan, an awesome forum. Please join, and enjoy this one-shot!**

**Disclaimer: Warriors never was, never will be, and is not mine. I just have to accept that.**

* * *

Honeykit giggled. "I like you, Brightfeather."

It was so annoying when her false personality turned out to bond with a mind reader. And an irritating one too.

Brightfeather purred. "I like you too." She brushed her pelt against Honeykit's before bounding away after her sister, Blackfeather. Honeykit watched her go before sighing in relief. Thank goodness she'd finally left. She was becoming too much like a mother.

Only years of practice and fake innocence kept Honeykit from scowling at the thought. Whiskertail. The cat who'd betrayed them; herself, Reedkit, and Poppykit. She had supposedly believed she was doing the right thing. Even when she'd dared to name the kit she'd let die, even when she'd betrayed her mate.

Honeykit cast those thoughts from her mind and glanced around. Reedkit had gone off muttering about something, Poppykit was avoiding eating more frog, and Brightfeather was busy with her sister. Perfect.

The cream-furred kit strolled between some reeds, letting a skip fall into her walk. She'd had to practice happy walking for so long before it finally came naturally. But really, it was exhausting.

The reeds fell back into place behind her, blacking out the light. Honeykit focused, shutting her eyes, and vanished.

She felt soft moss beneath the pads of her paws and her eyes opened. She purred. "Father."

The ruffled black-furred cat in front of her let his hazel eyes bore into her. "It's been a while."

Honeykit rolled her eyes. "Swampstar, it's been three days."

The MarshClan leader blinked confusedly. "Already?"

Ignoring him, Honeykit padded forwards. One of these days, he'd forget who she was. She sniffed at his flank, where a deep gash scorched his pelt. "Who was it this time?"

Swampstar squinted, staring at the roof of his den.

"You don't remember?" Honeykit sighed. "One of these days-"

"SunClan!" Swampstar's eyes focused on her again. "It was SunClan."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine. I forget. It was a while ago."

Honeykit snorted. "For your information, I was watching. It was a group of rogues who you slaughtered and dragged to SunClan territory so you could blame it on them at the next Gathering."

"Why didn't you help me then?" Swampstar cocked his head. "I thought you were my StarClan guardian or something? Right?"

"The term is daughter. And I was busy." She grimaced. "Reedkit made Star watch us while he went off and did... something."

Swampstar raised an eyebrown. "Watch you?"

Honeykit laughed and bounded around his den. She forced her voice back to its annoying cheerfulness. "I'm just a poor little helpless StarClan kit with no smartness. Right? Or am I wrong? Can you tell me?"

Her father covered his paws with his ears. "Oh please! Stop! That's exactly why I didn't want kits!"

Honeykit's eyes twinkled. "Why? Is it annoying? Am I annoying? Why? Why not? Why? Why not?" She stopped then, still laughing.

Swampstar removed his paws from his ears. "Well, I'm glad I won't have to live _there_."

The cream-furred kit sat down next to his wound. "I wish you were there. Then I wouldn't ever have to be like that."

Swampstar raised an eyebrow. "You wish I was dead?"

His daughter snorted. "Don't you try and guilt-trip me! You killed me, remember?"

"How could I forget?" The happiness faded from his eyes. Of course. Whiskertail's death was always a touchy subject with him. He looked at her, suddenly cross. "Well? Are you going to heal me or not?"

"So patient!" Honeykit said drily, but she sniffed again at her father's wound and concentrated. She imagined his pelt the way it had been before, only a tad of dried blood, and there was a stubborn bit of fur there that would never flatten...

She closed her eyes, picturing it clearly, and willed it.

Her eyes suddenly flew open and she saw the fur, sticking up messily without any evidence of injury.

Swampstar nosed it. "Thanks."

Honeykit got to her feet and stretched. Healing him always made her feel stiff. "No problem."

Healing him never grew easier. She'd been doing so for seasons, and it still took her forever every time. And he was always impatient.

His eyes followed her movements. "You're going?"

Honeykit shrugged. "Reedkit'll be back soon from whatever he was doing. I have to go."

Swampstar dipped her head. It always surprised her when he did. It seemed impossible that a great leader like him would ever respect her. But somehow, he did.

Honeykit rubbed her cheek against his. "Bye Father. I'll see you soon!" She slowly faded, trying to bide her time with him. She stared into his eyes and caught a glimmer of grief.

But then she blinked, and she was back among the starry reeds of StarClan. Honeykit sagged, disappointed.

She alone saw Swampstar in his weakness. He always seemed so strong, but in truth he was broken. He had no memory, and the only cat he'd ever loved had died at his claws, thirsting for his blood. His daughter was dead, and he rarely saw her. His two other kits hated him, and the Clan was afraid of him.

He was a murderer.

But Honeykit loved him. He was her father, and she saw herself in him. Every time she visited him, she felt a bit less lonely, a bit less sad that she was dead.

She loved him enough to pretend. To pretend to be someone who she wasn't, who she didn't want to be.

For she could light up his world. She alone brought him hope and more of his memories.

"Honeykit! Honeykit!"

Reedkit's distant voice startled her out of her reverie. She leaped to her feet, and dug up one of the frogs she always hid for such instances when she needed a cover.

Honeykit bounded out of the reeds, the frog swinging from her jaws. Her eyes grew bright, and her fur sparkled with stars.

How she hated it.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this!**

**The characters in here were from the roleplay in my forum, LightClan. Brightfeather, Blackfeather, and Poppykit are not mine.**

**If you're curious for more, please read ****_Agony Among the Reeds_****, which is about Honeykit's mother, Whiskertail, and ****_She Was Your Mate! _****about Swampstar.**

**Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review my story and have a good day!**


	12. Get Over It

**Hey all!**

**I recently joined yet another forum. This one is called BunnyClan. Please join it. It's awesome!**

**Anyhow, this is my first challenge for them. Please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: For the sake of not being sued, I am sad to announce and assure you that I have no ownership whatsoever of Warriors. **

* * *

"He's so handsome," she said dreamily.

Webfur rolled her eyes.

"His stripes... the way they glisten in the sunlight... He's so strong. And his eyes! Blue. Blue and twinkling. Perfect." Mistwave sighed. Then suddenly she turned on her green-eyed sister. "Don't you think he's handsome? And amazing?"

Webfur drew back slightly, startled by her littermate's sudden intensity. "I dunno. If you like stripes..." She gazed longingly for a moment at her sister's shiny black fur. Her own dark grey tabby stripes always looked dirty against her paler grey pelt.

Then she shook her head. "What does it matter? We're supposed to be hunting, and..." Webfur trailed off. Mistwave wasn't listening again. She rarely was these days, ever since Mouseclaw had suddenly gotten 'handsome'. Since he'd started paying attention to Mistwave, almost immediately after the sisters' warrior ceremony barely two moons ago.

Webfur huffed and lashed her tail. "Fine then. Go hunt with Mouseclaw." She bounded forwards, intent on finding a mouse or two to take back to SpiderClan.

But pain shot through her paw instead. "Ow!" Webfur sat back, hard, and sniffed at her paw. Heat pounded from it, the flatter end of a sharp thorn protruding from it. "Mistwave!"

Mistwave pushed through the ferns behind her, annoyance blasting off her fur. "What?" she said coldly.

Webfur eyed her cross sister. "Never mind. I'll get back to camp myself."

In an instant, Mistwave's irritation faded and she tentatively sniffed at the sore paw pad. "Sorry. I'll help you back to camp."

Webfur shook her head. "It's just a stupid thorn. I'll manage."

The black she-cat eyed her foot doubtfully.

"I'll be fine." The original shock of pain was already fading. "We're not too far, and the freshkill pile needs filling."

Mistwave nodded reluctantly. "Yowl if you need help." She ducked her head guiltily. "I shouldn't have been daydreaming."

Webfur laughed. "Oh, go on. You and Mouseclaw. You're so sweet together!"

Mistwave purred before brushing past her littermate gently, careful not to trod on anymore thorns.

The striped warrior limped back to camp weaving among the trees. By the time she pushed through the leafy SpiderClan entrance, her happiness was long gone and her paw ached. The thorn itself seemed to throb with every movement.

Trying to keep herself low to avoid questions from her Clanmates, Webfur finally made it to the medicine cat den. "Nightfeather?" Her voice echoed in the empty cave. Great. The SpiderClan medicine cat wasn't even here. Now what was she supposed to do?

She turned back to the entrance she had come through and came face to face yellow-eyed tom. "Webfur? What are you doing here?"

Webfur relaxed. "Nightfeather. I was worried I would miss you."

The medicine tom strode past her and set a leaf packet down. The she-cat noted guiltily that he'd dropped it when he had found her.

"What can I do for you?" the tom asked, his deep voice comforting Webfur. He'd stop her paw from hurting.

The grey tabby held out her sore pad. "I stepped on a thorn."

Nightfeather nodded and sniffed her foot, examining it carefully. "It's in there pretty deep." He glanced up, meeting her eyes. "But I can keep it from infection." He pointed his tail at a mossy bed. "Just sit there for a moment and I'll grab some herbs for you." He disappeared further into his cavernous den.

Webfur settled on the soft moss, relaxing when she took the pressure off her paw. She glanced around the den while she waited, her gaze catching the cluttering bits of leafs that lay scattered around her.

The black tom returned, his white paws stepping lightly around the small piles. He set a few herbs in front of her. "I'm going through the stores," he said. His eyes twinkled. "Sorry for the mess."

Webfur found herself searching for words for a moment, her eyes locked with the medicine cat's deep yellow ones. Then she shook herself, breaking eye contact. "That's fine. I don't care."

Nightfeather nodded. Then he seemed to snap out of his trance. "Right. The thorn."

Webfur held out her paw again. The tom checked it again.

"This will hurt."

Webfur's tail swished across the ground. "I've had thorns before. Just get it over with."

The she-cat closed her eyes as Nightfeather gripped it between his teeth, sending jolts of pain through her paw.

Suddenly, the spike was yanked from her pad and something wet gushed over her paw, soaking the fur around it. Webfur's eyes burst open to see the bloody barb lying just beside her. But her paw took all the attention. Blood flowed out of the hole.

"It still hurts!" Webfur looked up at Nightfeather, worried. But the tom was already in action. He pulled up the sticky mass of cobwebs from the ground and shook them out, carefully separating them. The warrior watched as he pressed them to her wound, pushing hard. Soon, the blood flow slowed and then stopped.

Webfur slowly let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "You didn't tell me it would hurt so much." She glanced up at the medicine cat accusingly.

The tom's eyes were twinkling again. He shrugged mischievously. "I didn't know it would."

The tabby she-cat cocked her head, remembering that he really wasn't that much older than her.

He and his sister had been the senior kits when Webfur and Mistwave had arrived in the nursery. Nightfeather and his smaller littermate, a dusty she-cat, had shown the pair around camp. Webfur remembered watching his apprentice ceremony, as he proudly vanished into the den of healing.

But StarClan had been cruel to him. His sister and mother had died from greencough not three moons later. Webfur had been young at the time, but she clearly remember the grief that echoed from the apprentice to the rest of the Clan. And later, when Webfur had been a 'paw, the SpiderClan medicine cat, and Nightfeather's mentor had died in another storm of sickness. She'd left the young tom with a name only recently given and a sick Clan to heal.

He'd taken on duties well, and now most cats looked up to him, despite his youth. Webfur should have known better than to be scared of something as measly as blood in his care. It was as if he'd felt enough pain for all the Clan combined.

Snapping back to the present, Webfur found herself still staring at the tom. She was unable to break her gaze this time, as if under StarClan's spell.

But then Nightfeather blinked, shaking his head. "Um... you'd better, uh, stay here tonight. So I can keep an eye on your paw." The normally smooth-tongued warrior stumbled over his words.

Webfur only nodded.

The medicine cat left the den with a mumbled excuse after securely binding a few herbs to her paw, leaving the she-cat to try and deal with her mess of feelings. What had just happened? Why did she feel so scared, but full of joy, her heart beating like she'd just taken on the full of MothClan.

It was just a thorn.

Finally, confused and still wondering where the medicine cat had gone, Webfur drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When she woke up, it was dark. Webfur blinked open her eyes and made out two yellow lights, like glowing stars shining brightly before her. Her vision adjusted and she realized they were eyes. Nightfeather's. He was staring at her.

Webfur sat up, and he did too. He was slightly taller than her.

Their eyes met again. It was as if a thousand words were said in a moment. The she-cat sucked in a breath sharply.

And the tom broke the silence. "Webfur, I don't know why. Or how. Or anything else really, but..." He swallowed. "I love you."

Webfur's feelings suddenly cleared, as if a fog had lifted. She understood her sister again too. Her daydreaming about Mouseclaw, her obsession with his stripes.

It was love.

And Webfur loved the tom in front of her, shrouded in shadow. She'd memorized his features, and watched him all the way. She loved him.

He tentatively leaned forward, rubbing his cheek against hers. The grey tabby closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth, his presence. "I love you too." Her whisper was soft, but she pressed all her emotions into it, trying to make him understand the depth of her love and passion for him.

And she drew back. "No."

Nightfeather blinked at her. "No? No what?" Hurt entered his gaze. "Don't you love me?"

Webfur couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't be locked in them again. "I do."

He relaxed slightly. "Then what?"

Webfur stared at her paws. "You're a medicine cat."

"Then we'll leave!"

Webfur's eyes flicked up, and she saw that he was earnest.

"We'll go far away, where the Clans can't reach us." He went on when she didn't reply. "Webfur," he spoke her name softly, tenderly. "Webfur, I can't be separated from you again. Forced to hide my feelings, to hide who I am. I loved you forever, since the day you could talk. We're meant to be together. StarClan will understand."

"But will the Clan?" This time it was Nightfeather who didn't answer. Webfur shook her head. "This can't happen. Us." She forced the words out. They bit her tongue. She yearned with all of her, to go with the tom, to leave everything behind.

But she had Mistwave. And there would be other toms. She didn't love him that much... right?

Forcing her paws forward, she pushed out of the den. She avoided those twinkling yellow eyes, desperately begging her to leave...

But the Clan relied on the tom. So Webfur returned to the warriors' den, barely noticing her paw, and settled down in her cold nest beside her sister.

She wrenched her thoughts away from the medicine cat and willed her heart to move on.

_Get over it,_ she told herself. _He's a medicine cat. You can't be together. Simple as that._

Little did she know, she would eventually move on, though she'd never love again. Nightfeather would love her forever, agonized every time he would see her.

But that night, her heart split in two. And her chest never stopped aching.

* * *

**Well, that was longer than I'd originally intended, but I believe it turned out alright.**

**Please, please, please tell me how I did. That was a romance, in case you couldn't tell (which I seriously hope you could!). Romance is not my best subject.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	13. Heavy

**Hey all! This is my first challenge for my newest forum, MeadowClan. It's a great place, and we'd love to see you there!**

**This is a genre challenge. My genre is **_**Family.**_

**Disclaimer: Warriors is not mine. At all, and I'm sorry that I'm not Erin Hunter.**

Lightshine felt her heart plummet. She dimly heard herself say, "What?"

The FieldClan medicine cat, Thymetail sat across from her, eyes glowing. "You're having kits!" she said again, her tail sticking straight up behind her.

To the right of Lightshine, her mate, Rainfur leaped to his feet. "That's great!"

Lightshine blinked. And blinked again. "Kits?" She tried to focus. It seemed so sudden. Just moments ago, she'd been worried at her slow paws and softly aching belly. It felt like moons before that Rainfur had insisted she saw Thymetail.

Rainfur circled around her, prancing like a kit. He stopped right in front of her, his deep blue eyes boring into her paler ones. "Can I tell the Clan?"

She nodded, and he shot out the den like a rabbit to its den.

Lightshine's gaze turned on Thymetail. "Will I be all right?"

The medicine cat nodded. "I don't see why not. Though you should probably move to the nursery." She eyed Lightshine belly, which now felt prey-loads heavier. "It shouldn't be more than two moons. You'll have to stop patrols soon."

Lightshine bobbed her head and got to her feet. She stared out, then left without another word.

Outside, it seemed like the whole Clan was in camp, focused on congratulating her. Rainfur apparently had a secret, unpracticed talent of announcing unborn kits.

"Kits!"

"How long?"

"Are you moving to the nursery?"

"Have you chosen names?"

Lightshine blinked, and shrank back. She'd never been good in front of a crowd. Even at her warrior ceremony, she'd been more scared of the watching cats than excited on becoming a full member of the Clan.

To her relief, Thymetail spoke up from behind her, also having just emerged from the medicine cat den. "Don't crowd her," she said. "Lightshine's probably tired." She pushed through the throng of cats, spreading them out as she made her way out of camp.

The cats drew back some, chattering amongst themselves excitedly, and Lightshine relaxed slightly, though she was still tense. She took a few steps forward, and a thick pelt brushed against hers. Her mother, Roseblossom.

"Congratulations," her mother said gently in her slow, soft meow. "You're going to be an amazing mother."

Lightshine nodded, and stared at her paws. Somehow she couldn't bring herself to look at her mother.

Roseblossom ducked her head, bringing it alongside her daughter's. "What's wrong?"

Lightshine didn't answer.

Roseblossom stopped, her tail brushing over the fur on her daughter's back. Her kit had to stop with her.

Forcing herself to meet her mother's eyes, Lightshine took a deep breath. "I'm just not sure I'm ready. I don't know how to be a mother! And I can't be as good a one as you!"

Roseblossom purred. "You don't have to worry." She cocked her head. "You don't have to do this alone. I'll still be your mother. And Rainfur is a good mate." She sighed. "I'm so proud of you." She stared up at the steadily darkening sky, where the brightest stars were just starting to show. "Your father would be too."

Lightshine broke eye contact and her throat tightened. Acornpelt had been Clan deputy, and would have made a great leader. He'd died when she was barely five moons old. A fox had decided to raid the camp and charged straight in. Acornpelt, resting from a night patrol, had been one of the few warriors left in camp at the time, and had taken on the fox single-handedly while his apprentice fetched help. Lightshine remembered cowering at the back of the nursery while growls and snarls ripped through the camp.

By the time Snowpaw had arrived with aide, Acornpelt's body had already been cold.

Roseblossom mourned her brave mate to this day, and Lightshine could only wish she remembered him better. As his only kit, cats always tried to remember him to her. That was almost all she knew of him.

Lightshine hid the doubts about her coming kits from her mother. She could never share her own problems after Roseblossom pulled the "he's proud of you" card.

So the grey-furred she-cat dipped her head to her mother, and quietly snuck out of camp. She wandered the forest of tall grass for hours before Rainfur found her. He seemed to have calmed down some.

"I've been looking for you," he told her bluntly.

Lightshine nodded. "I've been on a walk."

He nodded back. "I noticed." He raised an eyebrow. "Now tell me what you're upset about."

Lightshine sighed and started walking again. Rainfur fell in beside her. "I've already had this talk with my mother."

"Oh?"

"I told her," she swallowed nervously, "I told her I'm scared I'm not ready."

Rainfur looked at her. "What did she say?"

"That's I'll be great and that she's proud of me."

Rainfur laughed. "Isn't that the same thing she says every time you're worried?"

Lightshine purred and nudged him gently. "You're not helping."

He shrugged. "Well, she is right." He nudged her back. "You'll be a great mother. And our kits! They'll be amazing!"

Lightshine nodded.

He laughed again. "Talk to me. What's the matter?"

"What if I'm not?" Lightshine looked at him, her eyes wide. "What if I can't take care of our kits?"

Rainfur pressed his pelt against hers. "Then I'll help. And so will the rest of the Clan. That's what makes us a Clan." He purred. "And our kits will be so amazing that they won't need to be taken care of."

Lightshine felt herself relax a bit, and for the first time she felt a glimmer of hope. "Do you really think so?"

"Do you really think I don't?" Rainfur returned. He purred louder. "Now let's get you back to camp. Tomorrow, we'll move you into the nursery."

Side by side, they trotted back to camp. Lightshine stole a glance at the stars. She wondered if Acornpelt was as good a father as she knew Rainfur would be.

**TWO MOONS LATER**

Lightshine panted as she felt the last of her three kits slide out. She heard a steady lapping before Thymetail tucked the three kits against her belly.

"Two she-cats and a tom," Thymetail announced before she slid out the den, saying something about herbs.

Rainfur crouched next to her as Lightshine admired their kits. "They're beautiful," she said softly. The first she-kit was speckled with different shades of grey, the next was a striped-grey tabby like Lightshine, and the tom was black-furred exactly like Rainfur. Lightshine was sure his eyes would turn out to be the same as Rainfur's, and he'd be a miniature version of him.

"What should we name them?" Rainfur asked.

Lightshine studied them carefully. She brushed her tongue over the little striped tabby. "How about Poppykit?" she suggested.

Rainfur nodded, a purr already rising from him. "Perfect. And Lakekit for the other she-kit?"

"Yes," Lightshine whispered, loving the name. Her gaze turned to the tom, and she thought of her father. "Can we call him Acornkit? For my father?"

"Of course." Rainfur licked her ear. "I love it."

His purr was loud in her ear. As the tired Lightshine began to drift off to sleep with her mate beside her and her kits suckling at her belly, she knew she could do this.

_This is my family._

**I hope you enjoyed this. I worked hard on it, but I'd love if you'd tell me if I need to work harder. What can I improve on? Are my characters just plain rubbish? Click on the box below and let me know what I can do.**

**Thanks for reading!**


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